and where his competitor Edgar liued to beget and nurse perpetuall matter for their hopes and at hand for all aduantages he enters that kingdome with a puissant Army which incountring with more necessities then forces soone grew tired and both Kings considering of what difficulties the victorie would consist were willing to take the safest way to there endes and vpon faire ouertures to conclude a peace Articling for the boundes of each kingdome with the same title of dominion as in former times All delinquents and their partakers generally pardoned Heere with the vniuersall turne of alteration thus wrought in England Scotland being a part of the bodie of this Isle is noted to haue likewise had a share and as in the Court of England the French tongue became generally spoken so in that of Scotland did the English by reason of the multitude of this Nation attending both the Queene and her brother Edgar and daily repairing thither for their safetie and combination against the common enemie of whom diuerse abandoning their natiue distressed Country were by the bountie of that King preferred and there planted spread their off-spring into many noble families remaining to this day The titles for distinguishing degrees of honour as of Duke Marquesse Earle Baron Rider or Knight were then as is thought first introduced and the nobler sort began to be called by the title of their Signories according to the French manner which before bare the name of their Father with the addition of Mac after the fashion of Ireland Other innouations no doubt entred there likewise at the opening of this wide mutation of ours fashion and imitation like weedes easily growing in euery soile Shortly after this late made peace Edgar Etheling voluntarily came in and submitted himselfe to the King being then in Normandy and was restored to grace and a faire maintenance which held him euer after quiet And it made well at that time for the fortune of the King howsoeuer for his owne being thought to haue ill-timed his affaires either through want of seasonable intelligence or dispaire of successe in making too soone that submission which was latter or neuer to haue bene done For in this absence of the King Roger fits Auber the yong Earle of Hereford contrary to his expresse commaundement gaue his sister in marriage to Ralph Waher Earle of Northfolke and Suffolke and at the great solemnization thereof the two Earles conspired with Eustace Earle of Boloigne who secretly came ouer to this festiuall and with the Earle Waltheof and other English Lords to call in the Danes and by maine power to keepe out and dispossesse the King Who hauing thus passed ouer so many gulfes of forraine dangers might little imagine of any wracke so neere home and that those whom he had most aduanced should haue the especiall hand in his destruction But no rewards are benefits that are not held so nor can euer cleere the accounts with them that ouer-value their merits And had not this conspiracie bene opportunely discouered which some say was by the Earle Waltheof moued with the vglinesse of so foule an ingratitude they had put him againe to the winning of England But now the fire bewrayed before it flamed was soone quenched by the diligence of Odon the Kings Vice-gerent the Bishop of Worcester and others who kept the conspirators from ioyning their forces So that they neuer came to make any head but were either surprized or forced to flie The Earle Roger fitz Auber was taken and some say executed and so was shortly after the Earle Waltheof whose dissent from the act could not get him pardon for his former consent though much compassion in respect of his great worthinesse But the wide distent of these tumors fed from many secret veines seemed to be of that danger as required this extremity of cure especially in a part so apt for infection vpon any the like humors For this conspiracie seemes to take motion from a generall league of all the neighbour Princes here about as may well be gathered by their seuerall actions First in the King of France by defending Dole in Britaigne a Castle of Raph de Waher against the King of England and in likelihood imploying the Earle of Boloigne towards the conspirators In Swayne King of Denmarke by sending a Nauy of two hundreth saile vnder the conduct of his sonne Knut and others In Drone King of Ireland by furnishing the sonnes of Harald with 65 ships In Malcoline and the Kings of Wales by their readinesse to assist But the Danes being on the coast and hearing how their confederates had sped with the great preparations the king had made after some pillage taken vpon the shores of England and Flanders returned home and neuer after arriued to disturbe this land Though in Anno Reg. 19. Knute then king of Denmarke after the death of Swaine intending to repaire the dishonour of his two last aduentures past and put for the Crowne of England his predecessors had holden prepared a Nauie of a thousand saile and was aided with sixe hundreth more by Robert le Frison Earle of Flanders whose daughter he had maried But the winds held so contrary for two yeares together as vtterly quasht that enterprize and freed the king and his successors for euer after from future molestation that way But this businesse put the State to an infinit charge the king entertaining all that time besides his Normans Hugh brother to the king of France with many companies of French Finding the English in respect of many great families allied to the Danes to incline rather to that nation then the Norman and had experience of the great and neere intelligence continually passing betweene them And these were all the warres he had within the kingdome sauing in Anno Regni 15. he subdued Wales and brought the kings there to do him homage His warres abroad were all about his dominions in France first raised by his owne sonne Robert left Lieftenant gouernour of the Duchy of Normandy the Countie of Mayne who in his fathers absence tasting the glorie of commaund grew to assume the absolute rule of the Prouince causing the Barons there to doe him homage as Duke not as Lieftenant and leagues him with the King of France who working vpon the easinesse of his youth and ambition was glad to apprehend that occasion to disioynct his estate who was growen too great for him And the profuse largesse and disorderlie expence whereto Robert was addicted is nourished by all wayes possible as the meanes to imbrake him in those difficulties of still getting money that could not but needes yeild continuall occasion to intertayne both his owne discontent and theirs from whom his supplies must be raised And though therby he purchased him the title of Courtois yet he lost the opinion of good gouernment and constrayned the estates of Normandie to complaine to his father of the great concussion and violent exactions he vsed amongst them The King
to whom the father and mother had left much treasure and for the same ingages the Country of Constantine and leauies an Army for England But William newlie inuested in the Crowne though well prepared for all assaults had rather purchace a present peace by mediation of the Nobles on both sides till time had better setled him in his gouernment then to rayse spirits that could not easily be allayed And an agreement betweene them is wrought that William should hold the crowne of England during his life paying to Robert 3. thousand Marks Per annum Robert hauing closed this businesse resumes by force the Country of Costantin out of his brother Henries hands without discharge of those summes for which he had ingaged it Whereupon King William obrayds Henry with the great gayne he had made by his vsurie in lending mony to depriue him of his Crowne And so Henry gote the hatred of both his brothers and hauing no place safe from their danger where to liue surprized the Castle of Mount Saint Michel fortifies him therein gets ayde of Hugh Earle of Britaigne and for his mony was serued with Bretons who committed great spoyles in the Countries of Costantin and Bessin Odon Byshop of Bayeux returning into England after his imprisonment in Normandie and restored to his Earldom of Kent finding himselfe so far vnder what he had bene and Lanfranc his concurrent now the onely man in councell with the King complots with as many Norman Lords as he found or made to affect change and a new maister and sets them on worke in diuers parts of the Realme to distract the Kings forces as first Geoffery Bishop of Constans with his nephew Robert de Mowbray Earle of Northumberland fortifie them selues in Bristow and take in all the Country about Roger de Bigod made himselfe strong in Northfolke Hugh de Grandmenill about Leicester Roger de Mongomerie Earle of Shrewsbery with a powre of Welshmen and other there about sets out accompanied with William Byshop of Durham Bernard de Newmarch Roger Lacie and Raulfe Mortimer all Normans and assayle the Cittie of Worcester making themselues strong in those parts Odon himselfe fortifies the Castle of Rochester makes good all the coast of Kent sollicites Robert to vse what speed he could to come with all his power out of Normandie which had he done in time and not giuen his brother so large oportunitie of preuention he had carried the kingdome but his delay yeeldes the King time to confirme his frends vnder-worke his enemies and make him strong with the English which he did by granting relaxation of tribute with other relieuements of their doleances and restoring them to their former freedom of hunting in all his woodes and forests a thing they much esteemed whereby he made them so strongly his as he soone brake the necke of all the Norman conspiracies they being egar to reuenge them of that nation and here they learned first to beat their Conquerors hauing the faire aduantage of this action which cut the throtes of many of them Mongomerie being wonne from his complices and the seuerall conspirators in other parts represt the King comes with an Army into Kent where the head of the faction lay and first wonne the Castle of Tunbridge and that of Pemsey which Odon was forced to yeeld and promise to cause those which defended that of Rochester which were Eustace Earle of Bologne and the Earle of Mortaigne to render likewise the same But being brought thither to effect the businesse they within receiuing him detayned him as he pretended prisoner and held out stoutly against the King vpon a false intelligence giuen of the ariuall of Duke Robert at Southampton but in the end they were forced to quit the place and retyre into France and Odon to abiure England And to keepe off the like danger from hence he transports his forces into Normandie there to waste and weaken his brother at home So as might hold him from any future attempts abroad for euer after Where first he obtaines Saint Valery and after Albemarle with the whole Country of Eu Fescampe the Abathie of monte Saint Michel Cherburge and other places Robert seekes ayde of Phillip King of France who comes downe with an Army into Normandie but ouercome with the power of mony wherewith King William assayled him did him little good and so retired Whereupon Duke Robert in the end was driuen to a dishonorable peace concluded at Caen with these Articles 1. that King William should hold the County of Eu Fescampe and all other places which he had bought and were deliuered vnto him by William Earle of Eu and Stephen Earle of Aumal sisters sonne to William the first 2. He should aide the Duke to recouer all other peeces which belonged to his Father and were vsurped from the Duchy 3. That such Normans as hadlost their estates in England by taking part with the Duke should be restored thereunto 4. That the suruiuer of either of them should succeed in the dominions both of England and Normandie After this peace made by the mediation of the King of France whilst William had a strong Army in the field Duke Robert requested his aid against their brother Henry who still kept him in the fort of mount Saint Michel vpon his gard holding it best for his saftie For being a Prince that could not subsist of himselfe as an earthen vessel set amongst iron pots he was euery way in danger to be crusht and seeing he had lost both his brothers by doing the one a kindnesse if he should haue toke to either their turne being serued his owne might be in hazard and so betooke him to this defence Forty daies the 2. Princes layd siege to this Castle and one day as the King was alone on the shore there sallies out of the Forte a companie of horse whereof three ran at him so violently and all strooke his horse together with their lances as they brake pectorall girses and all that the horse slips away and leaues the King and the saddle on the ground the King takes vp the saddle with both hands and therewith defendes himselfe till rescue came and being blamed by some of his people for putting himselfe thus in perill of his life to saue his saddle answered it would haue angred him the Bretons should haue bragged they had wonne the saddle from vnder him and how great an indignitie it was for a King to suffer inferiors to force any thing from him In the end Henry grew to extreame want of drinke and water allthough he had all other prouision sufficient within his forte and sends to Duke Robert that he might haue his necessitie supplied the Duke sendes him a Tunne of wine and grantes him truce for a day to furnish him with water Wherewith William being displeased Duke Robert told him it was hard to deny a brother meate and drinke which craued it and that if he perisht they had not a brother Wherewith William
see the two great pillers of the Church thus shaken with these dissentions whereby might bee feared the whole frame would be ruined that hee was friend to them both and would gladly be an inter-dealer for concord rather then to carry wood to a fire too fierce already which hee desired to extinguish for the good and quyet of Christendome This Embassage wrought so as it disarmed the Emperour glad to haue Louys a mediator of the accord betweene the Pope and him to the great displeasure of the King of England who expected greater matters to haue risen by this businesse The accorde is concluded at Wormes to the Popes advantage to whom the Emperour yeelds vp the right of inuestitures of Bishops and other Benifices But this was onely to appease not cure the maladie The King of England disapoynted thus of the Emperours assistance proceedes notwithstanding in his intentions against Louys And seeing he failed of outward forces he sets vp a partie in his kingdome to confront him ayding Theobald Conte de Champagne with so great power as hee stood to do him much displeasure besides hee obtained a strong side in that kingdome by his aliances for Stephen Earle of Blois had married his sister Adela to whom this Theobald was neere in bloud and had wonne Foulke Earle of Aniou an important neighbour and euer an enemy to Normandy to be his by matching his sonne William to his daughter Louys on the other side failes not to practise all meanes to vnder-worke Henries estate in Normandy and combines with William Earle of Flanders for the restoring of William the sonne of Robert Curtoys to whom the same appertained by right of inheritance and had the fairer shew of his actions by taking hold on the side of iustice Great and many were the conflicts betweene these two Princes with the expence of much bloud and charge But in the end being both tired a peace was concluded by the mediation of the Earle of Aniou And William sonne to King Henry did homage to Louys for the Dutchy of Normandy And William the son of Robert Curtoys is left to himselfe and desists from his claime Vpon the faire cloze of all rhese troubles there followed presently an accident which seasoned it with that sowrenesse of griefe as ouercame all the ioy of the successe William the yong Prince the onely hope of all the Norman race at 17 yeares of age returning into England in a ship by himselfe accompanyed with Richard his base brother Mary Countesse of Perch their sister Richard Earle of Chester with his wife the kings Neece and many other personages of honour and their attendants to the number of 140. besides 50 Mariners setting out from Harflew were all cast away at Sea The Prince had recouered a Cock-boat and in possibility to haue beene saued had not the compassion of his sisters cryes drawne him backe to the sinking ship to take her in and perish with his company Which sodaine clap of Gods iudgement cōming in a calme of glory whē all these bustlings seemed past ouer might make a conscience shrinke with terror to see oppression and supplantation repayd with the extinction of that for which so much had beene wrought and the line masculine of Normandy expired in the third heire as if to begin the fate layd on all the future succession wherein neuer but once the third in a right discent inioyed the Crowne without supplantation or extinction to the great affliction of the kingdome and himselfe to leaue his other issue subiect to the like ouerturnings which may teach Princes to obserue the wayes of righteousnesse and let men alone with their rights and God with his prouidence But in hope to repaire this losse King Henry within 5 moneths after married Adalicia a beautifull yong Lady daughter to the Duke of Lovaine and of the house of Loraine but neuer had issue by her nor long rest from his troubles abroad For this rent at home crackt all the chaine of his courses in France Normandy it selfe became wauering and many adhered to William the Nephew his great confederats are most regayn'd to the king of France Foulke Earle of Aniou quarrels for his daughters dower Robert de Mellent his chiefe friend Councellour a man of great imployment fell from him conspired with Hugh Earle of Monfort and wrought him great trouble But such was his diligence and working spirit that hee soone made whole all those ruptures againe The two Earles himselfe surprizes and Aniou death which being so important a neighbour as we may see by matching a Prince of England there the King fastens vpon it with another aliance and discends to marry his daughter and now onely childe which had bin wife to an Emperour desired by the Princes of Lumbardy and Loraine to the now Earle Geffrey Plantagenet the sonne of Foulke The King of France to fortifie his opposition entertaines William the Nephew where now all the danger lay and aydes him in person with great power to obtaine the Earledome of Flanders wherunto he had a faire Title by the defailance of issue of the late Earle Baldouin slaine in a battaile in France against King Henry But William as if heire also of his fathers fortunes admitted to the Earledome miscarried in the rule was depriued and slaine in battaile and in him all of Robert Curtoys perished And now the whole care of king Henry was the setling of the succession vpon Maude of whom hee liued to see two sonnes borne for which hee conuokes a Parliament in England wherein an oath is ministred to the Lords of this land to bee true to her her heires and acknowledge them as the right inheritors of the Crowne This oath was first taken by Dauid king of Scots vnkleto Maude and by Stephen Earle of Bollogne and Mortaine Nephew to the King on whom he had bestowed great possessions in England and aduanced his brother to the Bishopricke of Winchester And to make all the more fast this oath was afterward ministred againe at Northampton in another Parliament So that now all seemes safe and quiet but his owne sleepes which are said to haue beene very tumultuous and full of affrightments wherein hee would often rise take his sword and be in act as if hee defended himselfe against assaults of his person which shewed all was not well within His gouernment in peace was such as rankes him in the list amōgst our Kings of the fayrest marke holding the kingdome so well ordred as during all his raigne which was long he had euer the least to do at home At the first the competition with his brother after the care to establish his succession held him in to obserue all the best courses that might make for the good and quiet of the State hauing an especiall regarde to the due administration of Iustice that no corruption or oppression might disease his people whereby things were carryed with that cuennes betweene the Great men and the
fidelity to her The next day she was receiued with solemne procession into the Bishops Church at Winchester the Bishop leading her on the right hand and Bernard Bishop of Saint Dauids on the left There were present many other Bishops as Alexander Bishop of Lincolne and Nigel Bishop of Ely the nephews of Roger lately imprisoned Robert Bishop of Bath and Robert Bishop of Worcester with many Abbots Within a few dayes after came Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury to the Empresse inuited by the Legat but deferred to do fealty vnto her as holding it vnworthy his person and place without hauing conferd first with the king And therefore he with many Prelats and some of the Layty by permission obtained went to the king to Bristow The Councell brake vp the Empresse keepes her Easter at Oxford being her owne towne Shortly vppon Easter a Councell of the Clergie is againe called to Winchester where the first day the Legat had secret conference with euery Bishop apart and then with euery Abbot and other which were called to the Councell the next day he makes a publicke speech Shewing how the cause of their Assembly was to consult for the peace of their country in great danger of vtter ruine Repeates the flourishing raigne of his vnkle the peace wealth and honour of the kingdome in his time and how that renowned king many yeares before his death had receiued an oath both of England and Normandy for the succession of his daughter Maude and her Issue But said he after his decease his daughter being then in Normandy making delay to come into England where for that it seemed long to expect order was to be taken for the peace of the countrey my brother was permitted to raigne And although I interposed my selfe a surety betweene God and him that he should honour and exalt the holy Church keepe and ordaine good lawes Yet how he hath behaued himselfe in the kingdome it gricues me to remember and I am ashamed to repeate And then recounts he all the Kings courses with the Bishops and all his other misgouernments And then saide he euerie man knowes I ought to loue my mortall brother but much more the cause of my immortall Father therfore seeing God hath shewed his iudgment on my brother and suffered him without my knowledge to fall into the hand of Power that the kingdome may not miscary for want of a Ruler I haue called you all hither by the power of my Legation Yesterday the cause was moued in secret to the greatest part of the Clergie to whom the right appertaines to elect and ordaine a Prince And therefore after hauing inuoked as it is meete the Diuine aide we elect for Queene of England the daughter of the peacefull glorious rich good and in our time the incomparable king and to her we promise our faith and allegiance When all who were present either modestly gaue their voyce or by their silence contradicted it the Legate ads The Londoners who are in respect of the greatnesse of their City as among the optimacie of England we haue by our messengers summoned and I trust they will not stay beyond this day to morrow we will expect them The Londoners came were brought into the Councell shewed How they were sent from the Communaltie of London not to bring contention but prayer that the King their Lord might be fred from captiuitie and the same did all the Barons receiued within their Liberties earnestly beseech of my Lord Legate and all the Clergie there present The Legat answers them at large and loftily according to his speech the day before and added That the Londoners who were held in that degree in England ought not to take their parts who had forsaken their Lord in the warre by whose Councell the Church had beene dishonoured and who fauoured the Londoners but for their owne gaine Then standes there vp a Chaplayne to Queene Maude wife to Stephan and deliuers a letter to the Legat which he silently read and then said alowd that it was not lawfull in the assembly of so many reuerend and religious persons the same should be publikly read containing matter reprehensible The Chaplayne not to fayle in his message boldly reades the letter himselfe which was to this effect That the Queene earnestly intreates all the Clergie there assembled namely the Bishop of Winchester the brother of her Lord to restore him vnto the kingdome whom wicked men which were also his subiects held prisoner To this the Legat answeres as to the Londoners and shortly after the Councell brake vp where in many of the Kings part were excommunicated namely William Martell an especiall man about the King who had much displeased the Legat. Hereupon a great part of England willingly accepted of Maude in whose businesses her brother Robert imployes all his diligence and best care reforming iustice restoring the Lawes of England promising relieuements and whatsoeuer might be to winne the people the Legat seconding all his courses But now she being at the point of obtayning the whole kingdome all came sodainly dasht by the practise of the Londoners who adhering to the other side began openly to inueigh against her who in something whatsoeuer it were had displeased them and they had plotted to surprize her in their Cittie whereof she hauing notice secretly withdrawing herselfe accompanied with her vnkle Dauid King of Scots who was come to visit her and her brother Robert vnto Oxford a place of more securitie The Legat himselfe takes or makes an occasion to be flacke in her cause vpon her denying him a sute for his Nephew Eustace the sonne of Stephan about the inheritance of his Earldome of Mortaigne in Normandie Besides the Queene regnant watchfull ouer all oportunitie found meanes to parle with the Legat sets vpon him with her teares intreatie promises and assurances for the Kings reformation in so much as she recalled him to the affections of nature brought him about againe to absolue such of the Kings part as he had lately excommunicated The Earle of Glocester seeing this sudden and strange relaps of their affaires striues by all meanes to hold vp Opinion and re-quicken the Legats disposition which to keepe sound was all He brings the Empresse to Winchester setles her and her guard in the Castle where she desires to speake with the Legat who first delayes then denies to come Whereupon they call their best friends about them Queene Maude and the Lords incompasse the Towne and cut off all victuall from the Empresse so that in the end the Earle of Glocester wrought meanes to haue her conueyd from thence to the Vies but himselfe was taken and in him most of her This sets the sides both euen againe into the Lists of their triall the two prisoners are to redeeme each other The disproportion of the quality betweene them shewed yet there was an euennesse of power and the Earle would not consent to the Kings deliuery who onely in that was
deliuered his country at that turne from the worst of miseries the conquest by strangers BVt now vpon the death of Ethelred whose 37 yeares raigne shewes that infelicity shall haue time too much and happinesse too little Knute was by most of the Clergie and Nobility chosen king onely the City of London with some of the Nobility thereabout made election of Edmond and furnished him with that power as thereby with the couragious ardour of his youth which commonly is most in the first attempts he had the better in three imminent battels within 3 moneths and had likewise obtained the fourth at Essendon likely to haue bene the last with the Danes but that the disloyall Edric late renouncing his new Lord seeing Edmonds part in possibility to preuaile againe betrai'd his trust withdrew himselfe and the charge he had to the enemy This fatall battell lost England here perished the best flower of honor it then had Here amongst the rest was slaine Vlkill an Earle of Essex of euer memorable worth who had long stood vp for the kingdom and in the time of Swaine was the first that shewed there was hope and possibility to quaile the enemy had there bene an vnion in loyalty From this bloudy worke Edmond escapes to Glocester to recollect new forces nor was he so forsaken with this fortune but that he soone recouered another armie to re-assaile the enemie that might be idle vpon this victorie But Knute as prouident in the prosecution of his businesse as fortunate therein makes after Here when both Armies were at the point to incounter a motion of peace was propounded Some say the two Kings by single combat consented to decide their fortunes and the ouer-commer to take all and that in an Isle of the riuer Seuern their Armies on either shore spectators of the act they tried the maistery for the prize of a kingdome After long and equall fight finding each others worth they cast away their weapons imbraced and concluded the peace But howsoeuer it seemes both sides tyred with the miserie of a consuming warre neuer like to be ended but by the vtter extirpation of the one and considering the danger of either and incertaintie of the future were easily perswaded to imbrace a present agreement which was made by parting England betwixt them two and confirm'd by Oath and Sacrament putting on each others Apparell and Armes as a ceremonic to expresse the attonement of their mindes as if they made transaction of their persons each to other Knute became Edmond and Edmond Knute A fatall exchange for so free and magnanimous a Prince as Edmond who indeede was now no more himselfe and being but halfe a king was in so few dayes after none as makes this peace shew fouler then warre for that armed him for life this exposed him naked to death which was shortly after treacherously giuen him at Oxford some say by the sonne of Edric as if to shew he would be the heire of his father also in Treason whereby both the hope and the other halfe of England were vtterly lost as determinable with his raigne which with all we haue else of his magnanimous actiōs took vp scarce the circuit of one whole yeare And yet had that bene space enough for gloric whose measure is to be taken rather by the profundity then the length which seldome holds long and euen could he haue had that cleere and better for his renowne to haue died at the battaile of Essendon with England then discended to haue made it halfe Denmarke and liue BVt by this meanes Knute attayned the absolute dominition of the whole kingdome which he gouerned with better Iustice then he got conforming his natiue roughnes to a more ciuile and regular fashion of life And to haue England see that now he was hers he sendes away his Nauie stipendary soldiers home to their countries and puts himselfe wholy vpō this people taking the way of mildnesse a better meanes for his establishment then force but the Land paid for the remuneration of his people this euacuation of Strangers 83000 pounds of siluer which it rather cōsented to do at once then to haue them a daily burthen to pester the Statefor euer At his first comming to the Crowne he sought to ridde himselfe as well of his friends as of those might proue his enemies Edric who came first to salute him sole King of England as if to tell that hee made him so hee caused his head to be set on the highest part of the Towre of London therin performing his promise of aduancing him aboue any Lord of the Land and thereby discharged himselfe of such a debt which though hee should haue paid would neuer yet be held fully cleered giuing a generall satisfaction to the people that reioyced to see Treason so iustly rewarded Like compensation had shortly after the Earles Turkil Erick who being banished the Land were executed vpon their arriuall in Denmarke But the loue and high opinion of Iustice he got in these were lost againe in those actions wherin he tooke counsell onely of his feares for the extirpation of all those of the Royall bloud of England As of Edwin and Edward the sonnes of the late King Edmond to whome apperteyned the moyetie of the kingdom by contract of Edwin his brother which three he sent to be murthered abroad to beguile the rumor at home But which is strange those times though rough afforded not yet an instrument for the execution of his desire and all these Princes were preserued and conueyed out of danger by those who should haue made them away The two last were bred by Salomon King of Hungarie where Edward suruiuing his brother maried Agatha sister to that Queene And some write daughter to the Emperour Henry 3 by whom hee had two sonnes Edmond and Edgar daughters Margaret and Christina Aelfred and Edward sonnes of King Ethelred by Emme were preserued by Richard Duke of Normandie their vnkle and so lay out of his way This priuate iniustice which often may be more in compassion then hurt to the State hee sought to recompence with all publique satisfactions repairing the naufrage of the common-wealth made by the rage of warre both in ornament and order erecting Churches and Monasteries with large patents of prouisions both for the expiation of his inmanities fore-committed and to memorize the places of his victories with his thankefulnesse to God The Constitutions Ecclesiastical and Ciuile diuulged in the language of that time testifie his tender piety and care of Iustice and are so full of religious admonitions as it seemes he held the best meanes to haue lawes obserued was to haue them first enacted in the consciences of men Amongst others hee inflicted exact punishment on all intemperances of his people and offences committed against publique manners Seuere he was but not cruell few of his lawes sanguinarie as being not the custome of the time which though rough
surnamed Atheling to say the noble Edgar either by reason of his youth which yet was no barre to his right or being borne and bred a stranger little knowing or knowne to the kingdome had his claime neglected vpon the death of this pious king ANd Harald sonne to the Earle Godwin the next day after was preferredto the Crowne whether by any title he might pretend from the Danicque kings as discended from that nation and as some report sonne to Githa sister to Swayne or by meere election of the greater part of the Nobilitie we cannot say but it seemes the pressing necessitie of the time that required a more man to vndergo the burthen of warre and that trouble the world was like to fall into by reason of the claimes now made both by the Dane and Norman cast it suddenly vpon him as the most eminent man of the kingdome both by the experience of his owne deseruings and the strength of his alliance Neither did he faile but in fortune to make good this election taking all the best courses both for the well-ordering of the State and all prouisions for defence that a politicke and actiue Prince could do But being to deale in a broken world where the affections of men were all disioynted or dasht with the terror of an approching mischiefe failing as vsually is seene in these publicke feares both in their diligence and courage to withstand it soonefound more then enough to do And the first man which began to disturbe his new gouernment was his owne yonger brother Toustayne who in the time of the late king Edward hauing the gouernment of Northumberland was for his pride and immanities shewed in those parts banished the kingdome and now by reason of his former conceiued hatred against his brother easily set on by the Duke of Normandie and Baldouin Earle of Flanders whose two daughters the Duke and he had maried assailes first the Isle of Wight and after sets vpon the coast of Kent whence he was chased by the power of Harald and forced to withdraw into the North parts and there seeking to land was likewise repulsed by the Earles Morchar and Edwyn whose sister Harald had maried Then craues he aide of the Scots and after of Harald surnamed Harfager king of Norwey being then taking in the Orchades and exercising piracie in those parts whom he induced with all his forces to inuade England And landing at Tinmouth discomfeiting their first incounters they marched into the heart of the kingdome without resistance Neere Stamford king Harald of England met them with a puissant armie and after long and eager fight ended the day with victory and the death of his brother Toustayne and the king of Norwey But from hence was he called with his wearied and broken forces to a more fatall businesse in the South For now William Duke of Normandie pretending a right to the Crowne of England by the testament of the late king Edward his kinsman vpon the aduantage of a busie time and the disfurnishment of those parts landed at Pemsey not farre from Hastings in Sussex neere to which place was tried by the great Assize of Gods iudgement in battell the right of power betweene the English and Norman Nation A battaile the most memorable of all other and howsoeuer miserably lost yet most nobly fought on the part of England and the many wounds of Harald there slaine with the heapes of thousands of the English shew how much was wrought to haue sau'd their country from the calamitie of forraine seruitude And yet how so great a kingdome as England then was could with one blow be subdued by so small a prouince as Normandy in such sort as it could neuer after come to make any generall head against the Conquerour might seeme strange did not the circumstances fore-noted and other concurrent causes in the next booke to be declared giue vs faire and probable reason thereof Besides the indisposition of a diseased time as it is described by such as liued neerest it may giue vs great euidence in this examination For they say the people of this kingdome were by their being secure from their former enemy the Dane and their long peace which had held in a manner from the death of king Edmond Ironside almost 50 yeares growne neglectiue of armes and generally debaushed with luxurie and idlenesse the Cleargie licentious and onely content with a tumultuary learning The Nobility giuen to gluttony venery and oppression the common sort to drunkennesse and all disorder And they say that in the last action of Harald at Stamford the brauest men perished and himselfe growing insolent vpon the victorie retaining the spoyles without distribution to his souldiers not inured to be commanded by martiall discipline made them discontent and vnruly and comming to this battell with many mercinary men and a discontented Army gaue great occasion to the lamentable losse thereof Besides the Normans had a peculiar fight with long bowes wherewith the English then altogether vnacquainted were especially ouerthrowne And yet their owne Writers report how the maine battallion of the English consisting of Bils their chiefe and antient weapon held in a body so close lockt together as no force could dissolue them till the Normans faining to fly drew them to a disordered pursuite And so they excuse the fortune of the day And thus my noble Lord haue I in the streightest course the vneuen compasse of Antiquitie could direct me got ouer the wide and intricate passage of those times that lay beyond the worke I purpose more particularly to deliuer The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE of the Historie of England The life of William 1. I Come now my noble Lord of Rochester to write of a time wherin the State of England receiued an alteration of lawes customes fashion manner of liuing language writing with new formes of fights fortifications buildings and generally an innouation in most thinges but Religion So that from this mutation which was the greatest it euer had wee are to beginne with a new accompt of an England more in dominion abroade more in State and ability at home and of more honour and name in the world then heretofore which by being thus vndone was made as if it were in her fate to get more by her losses then her better fortunes For as first the conquest of the Danes brought her to the intyrest Gouernment shee euer possest at home and made her most redoubted of all the kingdomes of the North so did this of the Norman by comming in vpon her make a way to let her out and stretch her mightie armes ouer the Seas into the goodly Prouinces of the South For before these times the English nation from their first establishment in this Land about the space of 500 yeares neuer made any sally out of the Isle vpon any other part of the world but busied at home in a deuided State held a broken gouernment with the Danes
Cleargie who then were of great and eminent power in the kingdome and might much preuaile with the people But the English Nobilitie incompatible of these new concurrents found notwithstanding such a disproportion of grace and darkning of their dignities by the interposition of so many as must needes lessen their splendour that many of the cheifest doubting to be more impayred in honor and estate conspired together and fled some into Scotland and some into Denmarke to trie if by aid from abroad they might recouer themselues and their lost fortunes againe at home Amongst which the cheife was Edgar Atheling termed Englands Dearling which shewed the peoples zeale to his bloud who with his mother Agatha and his two sisters Margaret and Christin intending to retire into Hungarie their natiue Country were driuen by tempest on the coast of Scotland where they were with all Hospitable comfort interteyned by Malcolin 3. whose former suffrings in his exile had taught him to compassionate others like distresses and whom it concerned now to looke to his owne his neighbours house being thus on fire and to foster a partie against so dangerous an in-commer that was like to thrust them all out of dore Which induced him not only to entertayne this Prince dispossest of his right but to enter league with him for the publique safetie And to inchaine it the stronger he takes to wife Margaret the sister of Edgar a Ladie indued with all blessed vertues by whom the bloud of our auncient Kings was preserued and conioyned with the Norman in Hen. 2. and so became English againe Vnto Edgar in Scotland repaired the Earles Edwin and Morchar Hereward Gospatric Siward with others and shortly after Stigand and Aldred Arch-byshops with diuers of the clergie who in the third yeare of this Kings raigne raised very great commotions in the North beyond Humber and wrought most egarly to recouer their lost Countrie but being now to late and the occasion not taken before the settling of the gouern ment whilst it was new and branling they preuailed nothing but gaue aduantage to the conquerour to make himselfe more then he was For all conspiracies of subiects if they succeede not aduaunce the soueraigntie and nothing gaue roote to the Norman planting here more then the petty reuolts made by discattred troupes in seuerall parts begunne without order and followed without resolution whereas nothing could be done for a generall recouery but by a generall sulleuation of the people for which all wary preuention was vsed and they had waytes enough laid on to hold them downe And though these Lordes imbroiled themselues and held him doing in the North yet hee hauing all the South parts setled vnder his domination with well practized and prepared forces there could be litle hope of good whilst all their great estates furnisht the Normans both in state and meanes to ruyne them The Earledome and all the Landes which Edwyn held in Yorkeshire were giuen to Alain Earle of Britayne kinsman to the Conqueror The Arch-byshopricke of Canterburie conferd on Lanfranc Abbot of Caen. That of Yorke on Thomas his Chapline and all the rest both of the Clergie and others which were out had their places within supplied by Normans And after King William had appeased a commotion in the West which the sonnes of Harrald with forces out of Ireland had raised and also repressed the rebellions of Excester and Oxford hee takes his iorney in person Northward with all expedition least the enemy there should grow too high in heart and opinion vpon the great slaughter of his people made at Yorke and the defeiture of his Brother Leiuetenant Robert Earle of Mortaigne slaine with 700. Normans at Durham where at his first comming he so wrought that he either discomfeited or corrupted the generalls of the Danicque forces newly arriued to aid the Lords andsent by Swayn King of Denmarke vnder the conduct of his two sons Harrald and Knute with a Nauie of 300. saile and after sets vpon the army of the Lords weakened both in strength and hope by this departure of their confederates and puts them to slight Which done hee vtterly wasted and laid desolate all that goodly Countrie betweene Yorke and Durham the space of 60. myles that it might be no more a succour to the enemy And the like course he vsed on all the Coastes where any apt landings lay for inuasions and so returnes to London Most of the Lords after this great defeit came in vpon publique faith giuen them and were conducted to Barkehamsted by the Abbot Fredricke where vpon their submission and oath of allegeance retaken they had their pardon and restitution of grace graunted by the King who it seemes was so willing to acquiet them that againe he takes his personall oath before the Arch-byshop Lanfranck and the Lords to obserue the auncient lawes of the Realme established by his Noble predecessors the Kings of England and especially those of Saint Edward Whereupon these stormy dispositions held calme a while But long it was not ere many of these Lords whether vpon intelligence of new hopes from Edgar who was still in Scotland or growne desperate with new displeasures at home finding small performance of promises made rupture of oath all other respects and brake out againe The Earle Edwyn making towardes Scotland was murthered by his owne people The Lords Morchar Hereward betooke them to the Isle of Eley meaning to make good that place for that winter whether also repaired the Earle Syward and the Byshop of Durham out of Scotland But the King who was no tyme-giuer vnto growing dangers beset all the Isle with flat boates on the East and made a bridge of two miles long on the West and safely brought in his people vpon the enemy who seeing themselues surprized yeilded all to the Kings mercy except Hereward who desperatly marched with his people through the Fennes and recouered Scotland The rest were sent to diuers prisons where they dyed or remayned during the Kings life Those Lords who persisted loyall vpon this last submission were all imployed and well graced with the King as Edric the Forester and first that rebelled in his raigne was held in cleere trust and neere about him Gospatrice he made Earle of Northumberland and sent him against Malcolin who in this time subdues the Countries of Tisdall Cleueland and Comberland Waltheof sonne to the Earle Syward he held so worthie to be made his as he married him to his neece Iudith though hee had beene a principall actor in the Northerne commotion and in defending the Citie of Yorke against him is said to haue striken off the heades of diuers Normans one by one as they entered a breach to the admiration of all about him shewing therin that true touch of the noblest nature to loue vertue euen in his enemies And now seeing Scotland to be the especiall retrayt for all conspirators and discontented in his kingdome yeilding them continuall succour and assistance
THE FIRST PART OF THE HISTORIE Of England BY SAMVEL DANYEL LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes dwelling neere Holborne bridge 1612. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR ROBERT CARR VISCOVNT ROCHEster Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter and one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuy Councell TO giue a reason of my worke is in my part as well as to do it And therefore my Noble Lord why I vndertooke to write this History of England I alledge that hauing spent much time of my best vnderstanding in this part of humane Learning Historie both in forraine countries where especially I tooke those notions as made most for the conduct of businesse in this kind and also at home where it hath bene in my fortune besides conference with men of good experience to haue seene many of the best discourses negotiations instructions and relations of the generall affaires of the World I resolued to make triall of my forces in the contexture of our owne Historie which for that it lay dispersed in consused peeces hath bene much desired of many And held to be some blemish to the honour of our Country to come behinde other Nations in this kind when neither in magnificence of State glory of action or abilities of nature we are any way inferior to them Nor is there any Nation whose Ancestors haue done more worthy things both at home and abroad especially for matter of war For since the Romans no one people hath fought so many battailes prosperously And therfore out of the tender remorse to see these men much defrauded of their glory so deerely bought and their affaires confusedly deliuered I was drawne though the least able for such a worke to make this aduenture which howsoeuer it proue will yet shew the willingnesse I haue to do my Countrey the best seruice I could and perhaps by my example induce others of better abilities to vndergoe the same In the meane time to draw out a small substance of so huge a masse as might haue something of the vertue of the whole could not be but an extraction worthy the paines seeing it concernes them most to know the generall affaires of England who haue least leasure to read them And the better to fit their vse I haue made choyce to deliuer onely those affaires of action that most concerne the gouernment diuiding my worke into three Sections according to the Periods of those Ages that brought forth the most remarkable Changes And euery Section into three Bookes Whereof the first briefly relates the various mutations of State plantation and supplantation of the inhabitants in the chiefest part of this Isle before the comming of the Norman The second booke containes the life and Raigne of William the first The third the succession of William the second Henry the first and Stephan And this part I haue here done The second Section begins with Henry the second the first of the royall family of Plantagenet containes the liues of foureteene Princes of that Line and takes vp 339 yeares A space of time that yeelds vs a view of a wider extent of Dominion by the accession of a third part of France to the Crowne of England more matter of action with a greater magnificence and glory of State then euer in ermixt with strange varieties and turnes of Fortune the inflammation of three ciuill warres besides popular insurrections the deposing of foure kings and fiue vsurpations which in the end so rent the State as all the glory of forraine greatnesse which that line brought expired with it selfe The third Section containes the succession of fiue Soueraigne Princes of the Line of Tewdor and the space of 129 yeares A time not of that virilitie as the former but more subtile and let out into wider notions and bolder discoueries of what lay hidden before A time wherein began a greater improuement of the Soueraigntie and more came to be effected by wit then the sword Equall and iust incounters of State and State in forces and of Prince and Prince in sufficiencie The opening of a new world which strangely altered the manner of this inhancing both the rate of all things by the induction of infinite Treasure opened a wider way to corruption whereby Princes got much without their swords Protections Confederations to counterpoyse preuent ouer-growing powers came to bee maintained with larger pensions Leidger Ambassadors first imployed abroad for intelligences Common Banks erected to returne and surnish moneys for these businesses Besides strange alterations in the State Ecclesiasticall Religion brought forth to bee an Actor in the greatest Designes of Ambition and Faction To conclude a time stored with all varietie of accidents fit for example and instructi-on This is the scope of my designe And this I addresse to you my Noble Lord not onely as a testimonie of my gratitude for the honorable regard you haue taken of mee but also in respect you being now a publick person and thereby ingaged in the State of England as well as incorporated into the Body thereof may here learne by the obseruance of affaires past for that Reason is strengthned by the successe of exāple to iudge the righter of things present And withall that herein you seeing many precedents of such as haue runne euen and direct courses like your owne howsoeuer the successe was neuer wanted glory may therby be comforted to continue this way of integrity and of being a iust seruant both to the King and the Kingdome nor can there be a better testimony to the world of your owne worth then that you love and cherish the same wheresoeuer you finde it in others And if by your hand it may come to the sight of his Royall Maiesty whose abilities of nature are such as whatsoeuer comes within his knowleldge is presently vnder the dominion of his iudgement I shall thinke it happy and though in it selfe it shall not be worthy his leasure yet will it bee much to the glory of his Reigne that in his daies there was a true History written a liberty proper onely to Common-wealths and neuer permitted to Kingdomes but vnder good Princes Vpon which liberty notwithstanding I will not vsurpe but tread as tenderly on the graues of his magnificent Progenitors as possibly I can Knowing there may in a kind be Laesa Maiestas euen against dead Princes And as in reuerence to thē I will deliuer nothing but what is fit for the world to know so through the whole worke I will make conscience that it shall know nothing but as faithfully as I can gather it Truth protesting herein to haue no other passion then the zeale thereof nor to hold any stubborna opinion but lyable to submission and better information Your Lordships to command SAMVEL DANYEL THE FIRST BOOKE of the Historie of England Containing A briefe relation of the State of this land from the first knowledge we haue thereof to the comming of William the Norman I Intend by the helpe of God and your
furtherance my noble Lord Viscount Rochester to write a briefe Historie of the principall affaires temporall of England especially from the comming of the Norman to the end of the line of Tewdor A worke I know great and difficult being to be raised of many scattered peeces variable vncertaine relations of times diuersly affected wherein notwithstanding I vow to bee of no other side then of Truth or as neer truth-likelinesse as I possibly can get Nor will produce any thing but out of the best approued Monuments domesticall and forraine Holding it an impietie to misfashion the memorie of times past and sute them to our present liking and discourse or to mis-leade the credulitie of men by making vp the opinion of Antiquitie with improbalities considering we are not so tyed to stand to the fame of things as to suffer our vnderstanding to be abused nor yet so freed to trafficque all vppon our owne coniectures without custome of tradition or so to vnder-valew the discretion of former times as if ours were of a greater dimension and peremptorily to censure those actions whose causes and counsels we know not hauing nothing but the euents as dead carkasses to shew vs what their liuing motions were And though I had a desire to haue deduced this Breuiarie from the beginning of the first British Kings as they are registred in their Catalogue yet finding no authenticall warrant how they came there I did put off that desire with these considerations that a lesser part of time and better knowne was more then ynough for my abilitie and it was but our curiositie to search further backe into times past then wee might well discerne and whereof we could neither haue proofe nor profit how the beginnings of all people and states were as vncertaine as the heads of great Riuers and could not adde to our vertue and peraduenture little to our reputation to know them Considering how comonly they rise from the springs of pouertie pyracie robberie and violence how soeuer fabulous writers to glorifie their nations striue to abuse the credulitie of after ages with heroycall or miraculous beginnings Seeing states as men are euer best seene when they are vp and as they are not as they were Bisides it seemes God in his prouidence to checke our presumption wraps vp all things in vncertaintie barres vs out from long antiquitie and boundes our searches within the compasse of a few ages as if the same were sufficient both for example and instruction to the gouerment of men For had we the perticular occurrents of all ages and all nations it might more stuffe but not better our vnderstanding We shall find still the same corespondencies to hold in the actions of men Virtues and Vices the same though rising and falling according to the worth or weaknesse of Gouernors the causes of the ruines and mutations of states to be alike and the trayne of affaires carried by precedent in a course of Succession vnder like coulors But yet for that the chayne of this busines hath a linke of dependancie with those former times we shall shew the passage of things the better if we take but a superficiall view of that wide and vncertainly related state of this Land since the candle of letters gaue vs some little light thereof Which was since the Romans made it a tributarie Prouince to their Empire For before as it lay secluded out of the way so it seemed out of the knowledge of the world For Iulius Caesar being but on the other side in Gaule could not attayne to any perticular information of the state of Britayne by any meanes he could vse but by certaine Marchants of whome he got together as many as he could who tolde him somthing of the cost-townes but of the state and condition of the in-dwellers they could say nothing either so incurious were they offurther knowledge then what concern'd their trade or the people here so wary to keepe their state reserued vnknown to strangers And yet Caesar gaue out that they sub-ayded the Gaules against him and made it the occasion of his quarrell and inuasion of the Land whereof he onely subdued the South parts and rather shewed it then won it to the Romane Empire But now what was the state and forme of gouernement among the Britaines before this subiection the first certaine notice we haue is also by the same Caesar who tels vs how they were deuided into many seuerall states nominates 4. Princes of Kent by the title of Kings how Casseuillaunus by the comon counsell was elected in this their publicque daunger to haue the principall administration of the state with the businesse of warre and afterward how the citties sent their hostages vnto him Whereby we perceiue it was no Monarchie as it is reported to haue beene but like to the Gaules with whom it was then one in religion much alike in fashion language deuided into a multitude of pettie regiments without any intire rule or combination As now we see all the west world lately discouered to bee and generally all other countryes are in their first and natural free nakednes before they come to be taken in either by some predominant power from abroad or grow to a head within themselues of strength and vnderstanding to ouermaister and dispose of all about them introducing such formes of rule as ambition or their other necessities shal beget And such was thē the state of Brityane Gaule Spaine Germany and all the west parts of Europe before the Romans ouergrowing first the people of Italy in like manner deuided did by strength and cunning vnlocke those liberties of theirs And such as were then termed Kings were but as their Generals in warre without any other great iurisdiction within those small limits they held So that to tell vs of the state of a Monarchie in this Land before that time as if alone vnlike or more in State then all other nations is to giue entertainment to those narrow conceits as apprehend not the progresses in the affaires of mankind and onely the inuention of such as take all their reason from the example and Idea of the present Customes they see in vse For had there bene an absolute Monarch in these parts which might haue affronted the Romans with the powre of a well-vnited state it had bene impossible for them hauing oftentimes much to do euen with some poore Prince of a small territorie to haue circumuented or confounded with all their stratagems iniustice the peace and libertie of the world in such sort as they did And though the Britaynes were then simple and had not that fire-brand of letters yet seemed they more iust and honest and brought forth on the stage of action men as magnanimous and toucht with as true a sence of honour and worthynes as themselues But hauing no firme combinements to chayne them together in their publique dangers they lay loose to the aduantage of the common enemy working